Listen:
Check out all episodes on the My Favorite Mistake main page.
My guest for Episode #256 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Ann Swanson, the author of the internationally bestselling book SCIENCE OF YOGA, which has been translated into over 15 languages.
Her new book, Meditation for the Real World, illuminates the fascinating science behind meditation with step-by-step practices. She worked alongside Harvard neuroscientist Dr. Sara Lazar and an illustrator for the New York Times to create this science-backed visual guide. It’s important to note that Ann wasn’t a naturally “chill person,” and meditation didn’t come easy to her.
Overcoming her own chronic pain and anxiety led her to India to study yoga and meditation, to China to explore tai chi, and to earn a Master of Science graduate degree in Yoga Therapy. Now, Ann blends cutting-edge research with ancient wisdom, resulting in realistic techniques you won’t just learn – you’ll love to live by!
This episode sheds light on the journey of turning mistakes into unexpected triumphs — and how Ann's favorite mistake was thankfully a “near mistake.” We discuss how the resilience to push through tribulations is often the stepping stone to success in personal well-being and spiritual practice.
We also touch upon the art of manifestation, breaking stereotypes and illustrating how envisioning one's life trajectory and being open to various possibilities can lead to astonishing opportunities. We delve into real-life case studies of individuals going from rejection to becoming acclaimed authors, demonstrating the importance of sharing one's knowledge and skills, maintaining a positive digital presence, and the role of persistence and self-belief.
Questions and Topics:
- What’s your favorite mistake?
- Getting so many job rejections… over 100
- Wouldn’t have known it was a mistake??
- How did meditation help you during those tough times??
- Tell us the story of this latest book, “Meditation for the Real World,”
- Meditation mistakes? Is that possible?
- What if you feel like you are “bad” at meditating, or your mind wanders too much?
- Mind / body connection between yoga and meditation?
- How long do you need to meditate for it to work? Can one-minute meditations really make a difference?
- The science of meditation??
- Why do most people fail at developing a consistent meditation practice? How can we apply the science to finally build a sustainable practice?
- Any mistakes in the writing the book?
Scroll down to find:
- Video version of the episode
- How to subscribe
- Quotes
- Full transcript
Find Ann on social media:
Video of the Episode:
Quotes:
Click on an image for a larger view
![“That was my mistake: obsessing over [the mistake in the book], because the thing that you think people are going to notice is not what they're going to notice.” ann swanson](https://www.markgraban.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/My-Favorite-Mistake-Quotes-ann-swanson-3.jpg)
Subscribe, Follow, Support, Rate, and Review!
Please follow, rate, and review via Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, or your favorite app — that helps others find this content, and you'll be sure to get future episodes as they are released weekly. You can also financially support the show through Spotify.
You can now sign up to get new episodes via email, to make sure you don't miss an episode.
This podcast is part of the Lean Communicators network.
Other Ways to Subscribe or Follow — Apps & Email
Automated Transcript (May Contain Mistakes)
Mark Graban:
Hi, welcome back to my favorite mistake. I'm Mark Graban. We're joined today by Ann Swanson. She is author of the internationally bestselling book Science of Yoga, which has been translated into over 15 languages. So that's, wow.
Mark Graban:
I don't want to sell that short. Over 15 languages. Her new book, Meditation for the real World, talks about and illuminates the fascinating science behind meditation with step by step practices. So we'll get to talk about that a little bit later on and we're going to hear more of Ann's story. Overcoming her own chronic pain and anxiety led her to India to study yoga and meditation, to China to explore Tai Chi and to earn a master's of science graduate degree in yoga therapy.
Mark Graban:
So a lot of expertise and wisdom to tap into here today. Ann, thanks for joining us. How are you?
Ann Swanson:
I'm doing well. So good to be here with you.
Mark Graban:
Mark, I'm glad that you're here, really. I'm going to be excited to explore these other topics and thank you for sending me the books. They're beautifully illustrated and really impressive books, so thank you again for that. I hope people will go check them out.
Ann Swanson:
My pleasure. I'm glad you like it.
Mark Graban:
So before we talk about the world of yoga and especially meditation, as we always dive into first here and the different things you've done in your career, what would you say is your favorite mistake?
Ann Swanson:
Mine's a mistake slash an almost mistake.
Mark Graban:
Oh.
Ann Swanson:
So it was this time of my life. I had just finished my graduate degree in yoga therapy and I was searching for a job and I was getting job rejection after job rejection. I mean, I was well over 100 rejections in. I was, you know, over qualified. You won't stay that long with it.
Ann Swanson:
I was so many different reasons and I, but, you know, I felt down as I was getting the job rejections. But I knew in my heart that there was a big opportunity coming my way if I was just patient for the right opportunity. And I just kept meditating and journaling and I was reading like, self help books. And my friends actually later they told me that they were about to have an intervention with me because I was getting real woo woo. Like believing that my, my meditation and my journaling was going to bring this into my life and writing on my mirror words of what I wanted to feel and cultivating it despite all this constant rejection.
Ann Swanson:
And I, during this time, I got an email and, you know, I didn't think much of it. I think I put it in saved emails, like, oh, I'll get to this later, because I was so focused on finding an immediate job. And I think I partly even thought it was just like a scam. They had to follow up a few weeks later.
Mark Graban:
Well, what did that first email say?
Ann Swanson:
Well, I glanced at it, so I didn't even really see what it saw at that. At that point, I was like, oh, they want me to do this thing. I don't have time for this thing. I'm looking for a job. And so then I dove into it the second time, when they followed up, I'll remember it was Valentine's Day.
Ann Swanson:
And I looked at it and I was like, wait a second. This is a book offer, a book contract from one of the biggest publishers in the world. This is from DK. It's part of Penguin Random House out of the blue. I didn't have an agent.
Ann Swanson:
I didn't have a big social media following. I didn't have a book proposal, but they had a book proposal. That is exactly the book I would have written. It was science of yoga. I just gotten a master's degree in the science of yoga, right.
Ann Swanson:
That's the perfect opportunity to bring together all that I just learned and traveled the world to learn. So I looked closer. I was like, oh, my gosh, I couldn't have written this proposal better. This is as if I wrote it. And so I ended up, you know, last minute signing this book contract and going with writing that book, which now has been translated into over 15 languages and is really widely used in, like, yoga teacher trainings and for people getting into yoga.
Ann Swanson:
But it's funny that I was so focused in on what I thought was going to be the manifestation of my dreams, which was, you know, getting a job at a spa or at a. At a college teaching a course on yoga. Like, I thought that was it. And if I had gotten any of those other jobs, there's no way I would have had time to get this. So each one of those rejections, now, in retrospect, I see as a like, as paving the path for me to have this contract.
Ann Swanson:
But, I mean, my mistake was not reading closely, not being more open to my dream coming true in a different way than I imagined. And it was a near mistake. I almost slipped up on that. They, during that time, could have been talking to other authors.
Mark Graban:
I think it's fascinating when someone even knows about a near mistake story, because it's possible you would have never known it was. I mean, we use the phrase near miss, but in this case, it would have been a near success that if you had ignored or been too skeptical about the second email, you would have, I'm sure, found another job, and you wouldn't have known you had made that mistake. You probably would have never dug up the email again, right?
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, maybe. But it changed my life. It changed the trajectory of my life from there.
Mark Graban:
Wow. I mean, there's, I think, a lesson there about, you know, things happen for a reason or being in a place where you could accept that opportunity to work on the book. Like, I don't know if there's any thoughts that come from your study of yoga or meditation or if that's just Ann's reaction and worldview of why or how opportunities might appear.
Ann Swanson:
I believe that I was setting myself up to be in the right, you know, vibration, alignment, energy, openness to bring in the perfect opportunity. Despite the rejections, I was resilient in that time. And yes, I did have some tears. I was not, like, perfect during that time. It was very hard to get 100 rejections right after I just spent all this money on a graduate degree.
Ann Swanson:
But I was meditating, getting in touch with what do I truly want? And the words I was writing on the mirror were things like creativity. I need a project that's true creativity. I want something artistic and scientific, right? And I originally went to art school, so to be able to work with some of the best illustrators and designers in the world on science of yoga, it was really a treat for me.
Ann Swanson:
So all the words that I wrote on the mirror were exactly what I brought into my life. And it sounds woo woo, right? Like, oh, you manifest it, but if you think about it, and when you look into the science of it, when we have a goal in our business or in financials, we set the goal and then we are focused in on it. And then when we see opportunities that align with that goal, we go with it. And when we see things that don't, we don't go with them.
Ann Swanson:
Right? We have this. This direction, this compass. And that's what I think I created during that time through my meditations and my journaling and my writing on the mirror, was this internal compass that attracted it into my life. And, you know, that's why my friends who went to graduate school with me and studied science with me, they were like, we were going to have an intervention because you were going off the deep end being woo woo.
Ann Swanson:
But I am convinced. I'm convinced that just like setting a goal with your business or finances, it truly works in your life and other aspects, too.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, it seems like there's an important lesson there of you were aiming to bring, I guess I'll use this phrase, manifestation. Um, these things you wanted to happen, but it was more of that general direction of like, how were those, I would call them wishes. You were wishing for something. It would be easy to have a blind spot of. Well, no, no, I wasn't wishing for a book, but you may, you didn't know you were, you were meant to be wishing for a book, but you were doing it in like, this indirect way, I guess.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, yeah. And the more I read about how to, you know, sculpt your life and create the life of your dreams as well as the business and finances of your dreams, is we want to have a direction, but we want to be flexible. Right. So I want to focus on how do I want to feel, how do I want my life to be. And that's really what I was doing, is like, I want it to be creative.
Ann Swanson:
I want it to be incorporating all the knowledge that I had. I knew what I wanted, I didn't know how it would come about, and I was in. Ultimately, I became open to the different ways, but at first, I almost made that mistake.
Mark Graban:
So how do you, I guess now you have to guard against not making that mistake at some point, now that you're aware of the possibility of some other offer or opportunity comes in.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah. Now I like the advice that Taylor Swift gives to any budding singer. They're like, oh, what advice do you have? I want to be a singer. Like, you get a good lawyer.
Ann Swanson:
That's what she says. I think to have somebody to consult with, to look, is this contract bogus? And that's what I did, is I found a lawyer immediately, and I was like, is this contract bogus? Because I do get bogus offers for book contracts where you have to pay to write it, or it's, it's, it's a scam in some way. And so I asked him.
Ann Swanson:
He's like, no, this is, this is legit and, and same. Now, as you know, I've gotten some offers where I'm like, this doesn't seem right. And sometimes I'll get, you know, that's not very good. That's not right, but just to have somebody to, that's an expert to look at it, that's really helpful to get that consult.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. So did you at some point in those discussions, either before or after signing the contract, get an answer to the question of, hey, how did you find me?
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, I did. I did. So they found me through a random article that I wrote that. I wrote for free or for dollar 20. You know, you don't get paid very much for writing, like, yoga articles online.
Ann Swanson:
But they found me in the bio under the article, which was a very science based article. I don't know exactly which one it was, but the bio under it said that I had a masters of science in yoga therapy, and they were looking specifically for somebody with a master's degree in the field. And guess what? I just graduated from the very first master's program in the field. So there are only like, 28 of us in the world that could have qualified.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. Wow. I mean, I. Not to sidetrack too much, I have a similar story of how my first book came to be about healthcare improvement. It's a book called Lean Hospitals.
Mark Graban:
I had been blogging, and I was found by a publisher in an indirect way, it was through a personal introduction where that publisher was wanting somebody to write a book in a certain direction on certain theme. And they'd reached out to my friend Dean, and he said, no, that's probably not me, but you should talk to Mark. So I think having that go between, I didn't have any sort of, hey, is this a scam? You know, detectors going off. But thankfully, I was in the right place and time to be able to accept that opportunity that.
Mark Graban:
I mean, it kind of. It kind of fell in my lap. And I know people who have written a book and then really struggled to find a publisher. And then if they ask, well, how did you do it? I almost don't want to tell my story.
Ann Swanson:
You know, I feel that way sometimes is that I don't want to tell because I can't give advice on how to get a book contract. Like, I can't. That my way was not the traditional way. Although publishers do have specific titles based off of SEO and what's going to do well in the market that they know they want written, and then they look through authors. That does happen.
Ann Swanson:
It's more rare, you know, but I think that my story highlights the importance of really being focused in on your desires and then believing in yourself and sticking with it, being resilient amidst the failures.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. And maybe we can transition to talking about meditation in your new book. I'm guessing during those hard times with getting the rejection, meditation was one of the coping strategies or ways of building resiliency.
Ann Swanson:
Absolutely. Meditation has helped me through that time. Other dark nights of my soul. It helps me through daily. You know, I'm feeling like, overwhelmed, doom scrolling.
Ann Swanson:
And that's ultimately what this new book is about meditation for the real world is it's real world situations. You're about to walk on stage and you're feeling nervous, you are grieving the loss of a loved one. You're feeling social anxiety at an event, real life situations, and how to integrate short meditations to be able to target that. So even like a minute meditation makes a huge difference when you place it in that moment when you're feeling down or you're feeling anxious.
Mark Graban:
So would an example of an opportunity for a short meditation be? Let's say you're in a short line at the grocery store and instead of pulling the phone out of the pocket and scrolling, whether it's doom scrolling or fun scrolling.
Ann Swanson:
Exactly.
Mark Graban:
Meditation into your day.
Ann Swanson:
And on the COVID of meditation for the real world, there's a woman. She's sitting with her feet grounded down. She's sitting tall. She looks relaxed amidst all these other people on a subway, all hunched over their phones and computers, distracted. She's the only one that looks peaceful, right?
Ann Swanson:
She's got headphones on. Maybe she's listening to a guided meditation. Maybe she's listening to a song that's really getting her to be present. You can have your eyes open. It can be loud.
Ann Swanson:
You can be seated in a chair. You could be standing in line. And one quick meditation you can do for these sort of circumstances is your five senses meditation. So we can do it right now in less than a minute. As you're listening to this, whether you're driving, walking, sitting, doesn't matter.
Ann Swanson:
I want you to notice what you see. Just notice it with a new vision. If you're staring at a screen, look out the window. Allow your vision to broaden. Our eyes are not meant to be on these small little screens all the time.
Ann Swanson:
Let the vision expand. And now notice what you hear. You're welcome to close your eyes if you're safe to do so, so that you can tap into that sound. What do you hear from far away to up close my voice, maybe even your own breath sounds in your room. Notice what you hear.
Ann Swanson:
Take a deep inhale through the nose. Notice any smells. Keep breathing through the nose as you notice any tastes that are present. You might have to search for it, but just tap into that sense of taste and then bring the awareness to your body, feeling your bodily sensations. You might even feel the urge to sit taller or do a little movement as you become aware of how your body feels right now and pay attention internally.
Ann Swanson:
Maybe you feel your heart beating, your blood pumping, your breath moving you. And if your eyes are closed. Now open them again and take in all your five senses simultaneously. What you hear, see, smell, taste, and feel. And then moving forward with this conversation, with your day, with that new sense of awareness.
Ann Swanson:
So it becomes like a reset button for your nervous system when you're noticing you're really distracted and out of it to come back into flow state.
Mark Graban:
I didn't realize we were going to meditate. That was nice for those who were to listen to. Those who were watching on YouTube will see. I closed my eyes and I can say I've meditated.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, a minute counts. You get immediate physiological benefits. We have endorphins release. We change our brain activity immediately when we start meditating. You went from this kind of more chaotic thinking brainwave activity of beta brain waves to alpha, which is more relaxed and at ease.
Ann Swanson:
We changed the way your heart was beating. You probably slowed down. Your blood pressure went down all in less than a minute.
Mark Graban:
I could go at some point. Look at my Apple Watch data. I won't do it right now.
Ann Swanson:
Oh, yeah.
Mark Graban:
But, yeah, I mean, would you expect, like, your respiration rate probably slows as well?
Ann Swanson:
Yes. Some meditations you're told to slow it, but this one I didn't tell you to, but you might have noticed that happened naturally, that your breath started to slow down. Your brain started to slow down.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. And so I was going to ask this, this is a good time to do so. During the pandemic, I think, when a credit card company had said, hey, have a free subscription to this meditation app. There's many of them, but it's a popular one. I don't know if it's good, but I tried it and I thought, well, okay, in theory, this, I think would help during uncertain, stressful times.
Mark Graban:
I really struggled with it. What was hard for you? What was hard?
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, what was the struggle for you?
Mark Graban:
Well, I think one reflection is, I mean, I think in general, like, starting with a 1 minute meditation is less intimidating. Yeah, I think I was dialing up, you know, a 15 minutes meditation, and then I just didn't feel like I could focus that long. And this is where I was going to ask you of, like, you know, is that you find your mind wandering. Is that a meditation mistake? Is that a problem?
Mark Graban:
Is that something you maybe get better at?
Ann Swanson:
Yeah.
Mark Graban:
Or is that even the wrong way of framing it?
Ann Swanson:
I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. It's a really great question because it's probably the most common question. All your listeners are wondering this, too, but it's a myth that meditation is stopping your thoughts, it is not stopping your thoughts.
Ann Swanson:
So meditation is a process. And I have a nice graphic in the book that explains this. So it's not just when you're focusing on the one thing. So your teacher may give you a word to repeat. You're focusing on your breath, or as I just gave you each sense, we were going into each sense, so that was our one thing we're focusing on.
Ann Swanson:
Right. So your teacher gives you usually something to focus on, and we think that's the meditation. And if my mind wanders and I'm not doing it right, but really that's the first step. Second step, always, inevitably, no matter how advanced of a meditator you are, second step is spontaneous thought. Your mind will wander.
Ann Swanson:
The third step is critical. So the third step, our brain picks up this network, this network of activity that determines is that important or not. So my mind is wandering to what I'm going to eat later or my list of things to do. Is that important for this 1 minute or this ten minutes that I've devoted to this? No.
Ann Swanson:
Right. My mind is wandering to the smell of smoke and the fact that there might be a fire in the house. Is that important? Yes. Get out of the house.
Ann Swanson:
Stop meditation. Right. So you're going to determine is this important or not? So once you strengthen that network to come back to focus on the focal point, you're building this new muscle, this new ability in your brain to be able to recognize when your mind wanders, which we don't always do through the day. We just believe our thoughts and then to redirect back to your focal point.
Ann Swanson:
And your focal point during the day could be, you know, your work project or paying attention to your kids. Right. So it helps us to get into that flow state, that awareness during our everyday activities too, because we're strengthening the network activity to notice and come back to focus. So really it's boot camp for your focus. If your mind is wandering a lot, that just means you're getting a great workout.
Ann Swanson:
You're getting a great workout of that neural network activity that's necessary to come back to focus.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, my focus here is on you and what you're saying and our conversation, and that's easy to focus on. I don't feel any urge to flip over and peek at my email or something here while we're doing this. But in a large group meeting, though, that's a different thing, where here we're very active. We're both very actively engaged in this discussion. In work settings, there are times where our participation is much more passive.
Mark Graban:
Do you have any thoughts on what you've learned on regaining focus in a situation like that, where it's more challenging than a one on one discussion might be?
Ann Swanson:
Well, nobody needs to know you're meditating, just like we were saying, you're in line or you're sitting on a subway rather than scrolling while you wait, meditate while you're ate. So what we can do is, while we're in this Zoom meeting, say you're on the meeting or you're, they could see your camera. But I do top secret underground zoom yoga. You know, I'll move my ankles a little bit. Nobody needs to know I'm doing it.
Ann Swanson:
I'll do some breathing, nice slow breathing. Be aware of my posture, so you can bring your focal point to your five senses. You can use all these techniques during that meeting and you're basically meditating while you're, you're in the meeting. So nobody needs to know that you are. For example, this is a good one.
Ann Swanson:
No one needs to know that you're doubling your exhales. This is a really great way to relax your nervous system is to inhale for, let's start with three counts inhale two, three, exhale 23456, and continue that on your own. Doesn't have to be exactly. It could be three count inhale, five count exhale, but just longer exhale than the inhale. Nobody needs to know that you're doing that during the meeting.
Ann Swanson:
And now you're getting these benefits of the breathing practice and the focus and.
Mark Graban:
Your eyes stay open and there's no risk that you suddenly. What? Oh, sorry.
Ann Swanson:
It'll keep you awake, too. Yes, exactly. It'll keep you awake.
Mark Graban:
I may try that. So I will try that sometime. And I was going to ask also, like, when it comes to developing, practicing meditation and sort of developing your skills there, it says in your bio that meditation didn't come easy to you. I was wondering if you could share some of that story.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, I, by nature, as a child, I was very anxious. I've always dealt with anxiety and chronic pain, which makes meditation and sitting still hard. And so I didn't come to meditation for meditation. I came to yoga for the physical practice. And when we get to the point in the yoga class where we were meditating, I'd look down in my watch, I'm like, it is time to go.
Ann Swanson:
I have things to do. This is a waste of time. Like, I did not get it. But over time, teachers would introduce different techniques and every once in a while, one of them would work for me and I'd be like, whoa. That's what it feels like to really relax, to really let that weight off my shoulders and be present.
Ann Swanson:
And as I got tastes of it, I wanted more and more, but it took a while of different techniques. So if you've tried meditation before and you don't think it worked for you, you might just not have been doing the right technique for you or the right technique in that situation. And that's why I wrote meditation for the real world is different situations. 83 techniques you can try out.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. Oh, I'm going to try others. And I may. I was being too hard on myself. I had too high expectations, and I got frustrated and gave up on it.
Ann Swanson:
That that's on me.
Mark Graban:
That's not, that's not on the meditation.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, that's common. But also, people try to do the 15 minutes like you said. And I say start like with five to, to ten max. So for your listeners, I have a gift@meditationfortherealworld.com. And that's the meditation challenge.
Ann Swanson:
And those meditations, it's ten minutes a day, but I give you a little context and science. So their meditations are only about seven minutes. And I integrate music and nature sounds that have been engineered to optimize your brain waves for the practice so that if you have trouble focusing, it can help you get into that state better. So we use the science of sound also.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, I hope people check that out. I'll put a link. I'm going to check it out. I'll put a link in the show notes. And I want to talk a little bit about since, you know, the science of yoga and, you know, about meditation, some of my experience was my wife encouraging me.
Mark Graban:
My wife's been practicing yoga for 20 years, classes. And I think she's fairly advanced. And, you know, she was encouraging me to try it. And like you said, and, you know, physical reasons, lower back, I'm 50 or I was approaching 50. And, like flexibility and everything, you know.
Mark Graban:
And there have been great benefits from that of doing restorative yoga, yin yoga, for listeners who don't know, you know, very slow, whole long holds of poses. And as my journey there, what you said sounded familiar, Anna, first of all, you know, I would do 25 minutes and then five minutes, Savasana, and it would all feel like it was forever where I'd be laying there and I would feel fidgety and like, how long is this five minutes of laying here? What is that doing for me? But then, now, honestly, the 25 minutes goes pretty quickly, I think, you know, Savasana, like, I'm a fidgety. I'm always moving physically or mentally, but like, I've gotten much better after, you know, about two years.
Mark Graban:
And especially getting into daily practice. That was one of my lessons of, like, doing it occasionally might feel okay, but, like, there's something to be said for. For doing that every single day. Really connected to some physical, definitely physical benefits. But to me that's also been, I think, my meditation, even though I wouldn't.
Ann Swanson:
Say a meditation, moving meditation. Yeah.
Mark Graban:
And being still during those poses. And that's been very beneficial for me, for sure.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, yeah. It's one of those things you build up over time. So you get started, and even if just you're doing 1 minute meditations that counts. You're getting those immediate effects. We did one today.
Ann Swanson:
You felt the immediate effects. So integrating them into your life can make a really big impact. And starting small is the way to go. And as you feel the impacts, as you go into that meeting with more clarity, you play with your kids or help them with their homework with a greater sense of purpose and connection. Because of that 1 minute meditation, you're going to be more likely to do it right.
Ann Swanson:
As you see these results, what does.
Mark Graban:
The science say about, if you will, the mind body connection of being able to get different benefits from meditation, if that helps with anxiety or attention? And does that flow through then into ways that anxiety tension manifests in terms of physical symptoms?
Ann Swanson:
It absolutely does. It said when there's a problem in the body, the answers in the mind. So chronic pain, actually, meditation has been the biggest thing to help me with my chronic pain, because when pain becomes chronic, it is no longer because of tissue damage. Right? Like, you didn't just burn your hand, it's because of a misinterpretation of your nervous system, of what's going on.
Ann Swanson:
Like my 99 year old grandpa, he has arthritis probably in every joint of his body, but he doesn't actually have pain. And then here I am in my thirties with this intense pain. Right. It doesn't always. It really rarely makes sense.
Ann Swanson:
So we want to retrain our nervous system when it has to do with pain. And then they said when there's a problem in the mind, the answer is in the body. Like when you're feeling really anxious. We know that exercise, yoga, working out, really helps go for a run. It really helps walking, meditation, you don't have to sit still to meditate.
Ann Swanson:
There's a whole section in meditation for the real world on walking meditation and movement meditation. So the mind body connection is very clear at this point. And some of the most profound research to support meditation is on mental health and chronic pain, as we just talked about. Also, cardiovascular health helps lower your blood pressure, helps to lower your cholesterol, improve your heart rate variability, lessen your risk of heart disease, or even reverse the effects of. So meditation is a critical component for, really stress management.
Ann Swanson:
When we have better cardiovascular health, we have better stress management. It's helpful to every system of your body, and then it bleeds into your life and you'll notice relationships getting better, your sleep getting better, your emotional regulation, less road rage and that sort of thing. Coming up.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, yeah. You used a term there. I was going to ask you the meaning or the science of heart rate variability. My wife pretty recently started wearing a ring that does a lot of the same measures that my apple Watch does. I think she was looking at the app and she was like, how's your heart rate variability?
Mark Graban:
I've never looked at that. I've looked at my heart rate, sleep, and other things. What's the importance of heart rate variability? Is more variability bad, or I know.
Ann Swanson:
You would think intuitively more variability would be bad, but it's actually good for there to be a variability between your heart rate heartbeats. And that's what heart rate variability, in essence, measures, we want our heart to be able to be resilient and respond to whatever situation. So somebody with really high heart rate variability, it's one of those measures. We actually want to be high compared to breath rate, it's better to be low or heart rate low. High is better.
Ann Swanson:
And so with really high heart rate variability, you know, when you're running up the stairs and then you sit down, your body is going to be able to change your heart rate really quick, and then you stand up, all of a sudden, it's going to change to those circumstances. It's ready at any moment to be variable and resilient to whatever comes its way. So exercise helps heart rate variability, but also meditation, teaching your heart how to slow down amidst the chaos is really helpful for your heart's resilience. So we want our heart to be able to go from very, very slow to fast when we need it, and that's what that represents. So we want heart rate variability to be high.
Ann Swanson:
It tends to depending, you know, for men, it's a little higher. Different stages of life, it goes higher or lower. So those, you know, at night, it tends to be a little bit better. So it's going to be different depending on what you're doing. But overall, we want it to be higher.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. Okay. Yeah, well, there's more data, more things to learn about with their body. What are these measures? But what does it mean?
Mark Graban:
So I'll go look at that. And it seems like there's a parallel between, let's say, recovery time from strenuous exercise and recovery from a stressful moment that may get your adrenaline or stress hormones going. Heart rate maybe goes up. How quickly do you kind of get back to baseline?
Ann Swanson:
Exactly. And that's where these meditations, these brief meditations, they could be less than a minute. A couple breath meditation of elongating your exhales, as we said, that could help you calm down after a stressful event. You know, our body naturally does it. We're like, ah, right, but that's kind of stressful.
Ann Swanson:
We do it right out of our upper chest. We don't get the full lung capacity. So to mindfully elongate your exhales can help with that resiliency, help slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure immediately after a stressful event.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, I'm going to tell a quick mistake story real quick. It was probably about two years ago. I had gotten some bad news work wise, and it was on a Zoom call. Right. So body language is a factor, too.
Mark Graban:
And I thought I was taking a pause and a deep, calming breath, but it looked like an eye roll and it sounded like to your point about the slow exhale is.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah.
Mark Graban:
Would have been less audible and was dramatic.
Ann Swanson:
You were very dramatic.
Mark Graban:
It caused a little trouble for me. I didn't mean it to be. So I guess I wasn't in touch with how I was reacting or my emotions there. So maybe I. Maybe, you know, after a practice of yoga and now maybe with the help of your book.
Mark Graban:
Thank you again, Ann, for sending it. I can be more resilient in those moments. And when you talk about emotional regulation, that was a test that maybe I failed.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah. Well, thank you for sending me your book. A signed copy at that.
Mark Graban:
Well, you're welcome. And so that's maybe one other question here, because I like asking authors about the process of the book and combining a couple themes here. I mean, it's inevitable there's going to be mistakes in the process of writing or editing or is there any story that comes to mind now as a multi.
Ann Swanson:
Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I have the biggest story and I've never told it before. Yeah. Yeah.
Ann Swanson:
Okay, so science of yoga, my first book, um, I was, you know, proud of it. But it was like 80 hours work, weeks for six months. That's how long that we had to write it. That all their books, it's like three months of writing, three months of editing. That's it.
Ann Swanson:
It's very rushed. And so, um, when it came out, you know, I let it sit for a while feeling good. And then one day I opened it up, was reading through. I was like, oh, these images are so pretty. And I found a mistake.
Ann Swanson:
Like a really obvious, like, factual. It was a typo that made the whole sentence wrong about muscle physiology. Like, anybody from basic 101 would know that. And I was like, oh, my gosh. And one word fix, and it would be better.
Ann Swanson:
And I started having bad dreams. I was having dreams about the shipment of books coming from, like, you know, whatever factory in China they print them at in a ship and it catching fire. And I was like, this is horrible because this means people die. To not have the shipment of books going out. Like, this is the worst.
Ann Swanson:
I was not able to sleep. I was just obsessing over this mistake. I'm gonna get so many negative reviews. You know, I was nervous about the people in my field that I sent books to sample books of it, and, you know, the book came out and, you know, I guess I've gotten some, some critical reviews. Nobody's ever noticed it.
Ann Swanson:
Second print. They fixed it. It took, like a few months for them to have a second print, but they fixed it. Second print. And that's great.
Ann Swanson:
But I never got a negative review. Nobody ever said a comment. No. It was just this, like, thing that I observed, obsessed over. And I actually, you know, I feel like that was.
Ann Swanson:
That was my mistake, was obsessing over, because the thing that you think people are going to notice is not what they're going to notice. And, I mean, I got depressed and anxious, and meditation got me through that time. It really did, you know, and I think whatever author there is, I've heard stories of authors going from bookshop to bookshop with whiteout pens or erasers, scratching out the mysteries. I've heard stories. This is not an uncommon feeling, because once it's done, it's done.
Ann Swanson:
Like, you don't get to fix it like a blog post.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, or you said that other printing. But, I mean, my books are not through a major publisher. Amazon doesn't let me into their warehouses to go.
Ann Swanson:
Yeah, you've thought about it, too.
Mark Graban:
There is a difference. But when I had traditionally published books, that first edition of my first book, the first printings had a typo on page one, and I swear it wasn't in the manuscript. I think the typo got injected during the page layout process, but I know another author through a major, major publisher who also typo on page one. So, like, all right, get it out. Get it out of the way.
Ann Swanson:
I haven't told anybody this either, but it looks like there's a typo on the back of the new book. I'm not going to tell you what it is now. You just have to get the book to see on the back of a meditation for the real world. It's not a typo. But I remember you don't.
Ann Swanson:
As an author for a major publisher, you don't get to write the front or the back of the book. You don't. Like, I got a final say, but I had to be pushy even to get that final say. Like, you don't get to write it. And so they wrote it.
Ann Swanson:
And I remember looking at the first word. So not even just on the first, the back cover, but the first word. I remember being like, that's a weird word to put there. Is that a typo? And then I thought about it and I looked it up.
Ann Swanson:
I was like, yeah. I mean, that word could mean that. Okay, maybe that's something they say in the UK. They'll change it for the US edition. So it's come out.
Ann Swanson:
I've gotten only close friends, my brother and a couple close friends, and like, oh, man, real bummer about that typo in the back cover. And I'm like, it's not a typo. But I thought it was weird, too. So anyways, you know, if you see that on the back, it's not a typo, but it is a weird word to start the back cover. Authors do not get to write that.
Mark Graban:
Not Ann's fault, but final thing, I mean, she's like, you know, author to author. Even some of the first printings of the mistakes that make us had a couple small, little typos. One very minor factual error, I will, you know, but, okay, nothing. It discredits the entire book. It was a very minor, minor thing.
Mark Graban:
But I do know, like, if it flipped to a certain page and look for a certain thing, I know the person with that book was one of the very first to buy it, and I thank them for that. So maybe you can turn that into a positive. If you see somebody with a copy that has, you don't have to maybe tell them what you were looking for.
Ann Swanson:
But, well, they say that the first print, first edition of every book is the most valuable, and it is because it has those little typos and mistakes. So if you're a book collector and even if you can get a signed copy of a first print first edition, that's why they're so valuable. And I think that that's a really great lesson to the theme of your show, is that mistakes are what makes something so special. The later edition, they're not as valuable.
Mark Graban:
And I think your point about not obsessing over the mistake after the fact is a really, a really good lesson, a helpful reminder. So. Well, thank you for that, Ann. This has been fun. So our guest today, Ann Swanson, is the author of Science of yoga new book, Meditation for the Real World.
Mark Graban:
There's probably another book in your future.
Ann Swanson:
There is, there is. But yeah, definitely want to remind your listeners to go to meditationfortherealworld.com. That's where you can get the meditation challenge. It's really special and I think you'll be able to stick with it. It's five days, less than ten minutes a day.
Mark Graban:
I'm going to sign up, too. So again, there'll be links in the show, notes to the books, Ann's website, social media and more. So, Anne thank you for doing this today. Thank you for the education. Thank you for the meditation.
Mark Graban:
This has been great.
Ann Swanson:
Thank you.
Episode Summary and More
The Power of Resilience and Manifestation: A Journey Through Yoga, Meditation, and Unexpected Opportunities
When it comes to the transformative power of resilience and openness to life's unpredictable opportunities, few stories are as compelling as those found at the intersection of personal growth and professional success. The world of Yoga and meditation, in particular, has seen many embrace the fusion of ancient practices with the modern science of well-being, leading to the emergence of powerful narratives that inspire and teach.
The Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Modern Lives
Yoga and meditation have surged in popularity over the past few decades, and it's easy to see why. Rooted in ancient traditions, both practices have been extensively studied and found to offer profound benefits for both the mind and body. The international embrace of yoga is evident in the way literature on the subject transcends language barriers. Science-based approaches to yoga, which demystify the physiological and psychological mechanisms behind the practices, have expanded the community far beyond those seeking purely spiritual experiences.
Beyond personal development, yoga has integrated itself into educational environments and workplaces, recognized for its ability to balance creativity with science, and the capacity to alleviate afflictions like chronic pain and anxiety. This holistic method has led countless individuals to pursue advanced studies in fields like yoga therapy, enabling them to blend their passion for wellness with a commitment to helping others.
Overcoming Obstacles and Embracing Life's Twists
Life's journey is rarely linear, and often, the most transformative opportunities arise from the ashes of disappointment. The road to fulfillment for many professionals in the yoga and meditation sphere is littered with rejections and setbacks. Yet, these roadblocks often serve as unintentional guidance, redirecting individuals to surprising new paths that align more closely with their deepest wishes and intentions. The resilience to continue forward despite adversity is a hallmark of success in any field but is particularly poignant when it comes to the realm of personal well-being and spiritual practice.
The art of manifesting one's desires far transcends the ‘woo woo' stereotypes often associated with it. Just like setting business or financial goals, envisioning one's desired life trajectory and being open to various manifestations of those goals can lead to astonishing opportunities. It's this openness and flexibility, paired with the intentionality of practices like meditation and positive affirmations, that paves the way for success in unexpected ways.
From Rejection to Bestselling Author: A Case Study
The journey from overcoming personal challenges to achieving professional acclaim as an author is filled with lessons. When faced with rejection, maintaining a vision of what one wants to achieve can act as an internal compass, guiding one through difficult times. Notably, publishing success stories often emerge from perseverance and a deep belief in one's value, which can resonate unexpectedly with significant players in the industry.
The phenomenon of being discovered indirectly emphasizes the importance of sharing one's knowledge and expertise through various mediums, even when immediate rewards seem minimal. A well-placed article backed by credible qualifications can catch the eye of major publishers, leading to life-changing opportunities like book deals. These chance occurrences highlight the significant role of digital presence and the power of SEO in creating visibility for experts in their niche fields.
Meditation for Real-World Resilience and Success
In dealing with life's trials, particularly during periods of intense struggle such as job rejections, the practice of meditation emerges as an invaluable tool for building resilience and mental clarity. Far from being merely a coping strategy, meditation supports a proactive approach to life, wherein practitioners cultivate the qualities they seek in their professional and personal lives, whether it's creativity, scientific integrity, or innovative thinking.
The impact of meditation on the ability to attract and recognize fitting opportunities cannot be overstated. Embracing the lessons found in the science of meditation can be life-changing. By offering guidance on how to cope with challenges, reduce stress, and align with one's core values, it can be the key factor in turning a sequence of rejections into a prelude to success.
Integrating Meditation into Daily Routines
With the escalating demands of the modern world, finding balance amidst chaos has become a growing concern. Meditation, which may seem like an esoteric practice, has traversed into common day-to-day activities as a quick and effective tool for composure and focus.
Short burst meditations, as described by experts, can be seamlessly woven into routines, such as standing in line at the grocery store or waiting on a subway platform. The suggestion to meditate instead of engaging in constant digital consumption is an illustration of how these practices can serve as a sanctuary of peace in a fast-paced environment.
The Five Senses Meditation
One of the techniques that can be employed in virtually any setting is the Five Senses Meditation, which provides a brief respite and sensory awareness. This practice involves:
- Sight: Observing your surroundings with fresh eyes, giving your vision a break from screens.
- Hearing: Tuning into the sounds around you, from distant noises to the subtlety of your own breathing.
- Smell: Noticing any aromas present, breathing deeply through the nose.
- Taste: Searching for and identifying any current flavors on your palate.
- Touch: Being attentive to bodily sensations, acknowledging comfort or tension, and identifying internal sensations such as the rhythm of your heartbeat or the flow of your breath.
By engaging in this technique for even a minute, one can reset their nervous system, potentially reducing stress and improving concentration and the ability to return to tasks with a renewed sense of presence.
The Encouraging Neurological Impact of Meditation
The neuroscientific perspective on meditation sheds light on its immediate physiological benefits. Regular practice can lead to endorphin release and shifting from beta brain waves, associated with chaotic thought, to alpha waves, which signify a state of relaxation. Not only does this practice reduce heart rate and blood pressure, but it also primes the brain for enhanced focus and decision-making.
Focus and Presence in Virtual Meetings
The rise of virtual meetings has presented unique challenges in maintaining focus. Incorporating mindfulness and meditative practices discretely during these gatherings can be invaluable. For instance, a simple technique of elongating the exhalation breath over the inhalation can help soothe the nervous system without drawing attention away from the meeting. Other subtle movements or breathing techniques can offer mental clarity without breaking professional decorum.
Embracing Meditation for Different Individuals
Finally, the personalization of meditation practices is key. Understanding that meditation is not about stopping thoughts but rather about managing attention can revolutionize one's approach. The meditative process involves recognizing when the mind wanders, deciding if the wandering thought is worth attention, and redirecting focus back to the chosen object of meditation. This insight is particularly empowering for individuals who may have previously struggled with maintaining focus during longer meditation sessions.
For beginners and those seeking to strengthen their meditative practice, starting with short, manageable sessions is recommended. Utilizing resources like the meditation challenge can help ease users into the practice while also providing the scientific context to harness the full benefits of meditation.
In summary, acknowledging that meditation is a skill that improves with practice and patience is key to integrating it into one's lifestyle. By utilizing techniques such as the Five Senses Meditation, individuals can anchor mindfulness into their daily routine, paving the way for a more balanced and focused life amidst everyday distractions and challenges.
The Power of Consistent Meditation Practice
Building a daily meditation habit is akin to strengthening muscle: the more regularly you practice, the better equipped you are to manage life's stresses. Initially, committing to a mere one minute of meditation each day can feel surprisingly accessible and sustainable, setting a foundation upon which a more profound practice can be built over time. As recognized by both newcomers and long-time practitioners, consistency fosters physical and mental benefits that can touch nearly every aspect of personal wellbeing.
Chronic Pain and the Mind-Body Connection
When discussing the intersection between mental fortitude and physical health, meditation emerges as a formidable ally against chronic pain. For many individuals, chronic pain is not the result of active tissue damage but a product of the nervous system's misinterpretations. Here, meditation serves as a tool to retrain the nervous system, quieting the misfiring signals that contribute to persistent discomfort. This retraining extends benefits to various physical conditions beyond pain, indicating its holistic impact on health.
Heart Health and Meditation
The strength of the mind-body connection is further exemplified in the realm of cardiovascular health. Meditation contributes to lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels, and enhancing heart rate variability (HRV). These benefits underline the profound effect that mental practices can have on the heart—one of our most vital organs. High heart rate variability is particularly valuable as an indicator of the heart’s ability to adapt to stressors and maintain a state of balance.
Applying Meditation in Moments of Stress
In the ebb and flow of everyday life, stressful events are inevitable. Often, our instinctual reactions—like exaggerated sighs or involuntary body language—betray our inner tension during these moments. Through mindful breathing exercises, such as elongating exhales, we can learn to manage our responses to stress more effectively. Over time, practicing these micro-meditations can enhance our emotional regulation, leading to improved reactions that align better with our intentions.
A Meditation Strategy for All
Authors and experts Ann Swanson and Mark Graban highlight the universal nature of meditation. It's a habit that transcends age and demographic, offering each individual tailored benefits. Whether you are an author fretting over a typographical error or struggling with high-stress moments in professional settings, meditation can be a companion along the journey towards improved resilience and emotional well-being. It’s about finding the exercise or meditative practice that aligns with one's preferences — be it walk, movement, or stillness.
Embracing the Imperfections
Even as we acknowledge the power of meditation, it's essential to appreciate the imperfection inherent in all human endeavors. This includes the process of writing, editing, and publishing for authors like Swanson, Graban, and countless others. A minor typo, an awkward sentence, or a misunderstood word can be a source of significant stress. But it’s through these same channels of mindful practices that authors find solace and carry on, continually evolving both personally and professionally. It’s a comforting thought that the very tools written about can provide sanctuary during these troubling times.
The conversation between Swanson and Graban reminds us that no struggle is trivial and that mindful practices like meditation can be a balm for a wide array of life's challenges, from the professional to the deeply personal.
The Intrinsic Value of First Editions
Collectors and bibliophiles can confirm that first editions of books often carry an indelible charm, enhanced by their rarity and unique imperfections. The small typos and errors found in first editions add to their character and are celebrated by enthusiasts as the markers of a book's initial journey. The value assigned to these editions only grows with time, turning what might initially be seen as flaws into quaint idiosyncrasies that endear the copy to its owner. In the world of book collecting, the acquisition of first print, first editions—especially those signed by the author—is a revered pursuit.
Mindfulness Beyond the Page
The dialogue between Swanson and Graban further underscores an important life lesson: perfection is not the goal. Instead, embracing and learning from mistakes can enrich one's experience. This principle resonates well beyond the scope of literature and applies to all facets of life, including our professional endeavors and our pursuit of peace through meditation. Acceptance of imperfection aligns with the practice of mindfulness and meditation, where the journey itself, with all its ebbs and flows, is valued more than the pursuit of an unrealistic ideal.
Meditation for the Busy Lives
The upcoming book “Meditation for the Real World” serves as a testament to the attainability of mindfulness in our fast-paced lives. Recognizing this, Ann Swanson invites readers to participate in a meditation challenge that promises accessibility: five days of practice, each session lasting less than ten minutes. This approach seeks to dismantle the barriers that may prevent individuals from beginning their meditation journey, by offering bite-sized yet potent sessions that can be integrated into even the most hectic of schedules.
Accessibility of Mindfulness Resources
The proliferation of online platforms dedicated to meditation underscores the modern movement towards accessible wellness practices. Websites like meditationfortherealworld.com not only offer challenges to kickstart one's practice but also serve as repositories of knowledge, providing guidance and support through articles, videos, and community forums. These digital resources encourage consistency in practice by helping users carve out those precious moments of stillness, regardless of location or time constraints.
A Reminder of our Collective Journey
As Swanson and Graban's exchange reminds us, we're all traversing the often bumpy road of life—making mistakes, learning, and growing. Their conversation is a prompt that whether facing a typo in a treasured manuscript or confronting the turmoil of a stressful event, meditation offers a steady hand to guide us. The practice not only enriches our ability to cope with professional challenges but also deepens our personal growth and understanding of ourselves and the world around us.